Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-05
SERIOUS STRIKE.
THB EMPLOYEES OF THB BISON GLASS
WORKS DEMAND
The Reinstatement Of -Four Discharged WGknsn-
Manager ElSn Calls a Meeting Of the
Manufacturers Association.

Glass Company at Martins Ferry struck
yesterday morning for the reinstatement OF
Jour of their fellow workmen, who were
discharged by Manager Elson. The trouble
il of a peculiar nature, and may cause the
stopping of the concern unless settled
soon.
In 1885 the glass factories in Martins
Ferry, Bridgeport aud Bellaire demanded
that piece work, or the Pittsburg plan of
working, be adopted in those factories, to
supersede the turn work, or Wheeling
plan, which had been in vogue. The IT.
suit of the demand was a ten months
strike in some factories and a longer one in
others.
The Elson was the first to
settle with its men and
the piece work plan slightly modified was
adopted. Under the time work plan the
men worked a prescribed number of hours
tor days work, in which time a specified
number of pieces of ware were made. All
this ware was paid for no matter whether
it was good or otherwise. Under the
piece work plan, a certain number Of
pieces constitute a days work, with no
regard TO time, and only such ware rs
passes through the assorters' hands IL paid
for. There are, however, certain kinds OF
glass aud ware which are made by the
turn in all factories, no matter whether
the turn or piece plan exists. This is al
$50. l.nlu of olaos anH
some kinds of ware are 80 hard to handle
and the result of the wOrkmen's efforts
80 uncertain that sometimes a full days
work will not show mp half that much
after the assorter gets through with it.
In the Elson, all opalescent ware and all
ware blown with polka dots or ribs, Is
made by the turn. In making polka dot
or ribbed opalescent ware the glass is gath
cred on the pipes and first blown into a
mould containing the ridges or dots, which
show up on the outside, OF the ware.
The piece of glass is then heated till the
dots or ridges show up white from the
effect OF the heat and is then blown into II
smooth mould, which leaves the dots on
the inside and the outside plain.
The trouble originated about as follows,
according to Mr.. Elson's version of the
matter, which is not disputed by the work
men.
Daniel Cline, John Beck, Miles Mctirail
and William Craig were employed making
lamps. The four men and the boys M
ployed constitute what is known rs n
shop" One man was employed pressing
blue lamp feet, two others i'll blowing up
the opalescent polka dots in the "punty
block" and the other in blowing the lamp
bowl in the smooth mould and sticking it
to the foot. The men were working turn
work, according to the factory rule con
corning opalsscent ware, aud several turns
of work showed up more bad ware than Mr.
Elson thought proper. The manager called
the mems attention TO it and informed the
factory committee that he would dock
them for the bad waie. This was IN
opposition TO the urn work rules,
and the committee Informed the manager
that he could not dock the men, but that
if they insisted i'll not making perfect
ware he could discharge them. Mr. EIson
notified the men again of his intention 10
either dock them or discharge them, and
accordingly the next bad ware that came
ont the four men were discharged.
The men held a meeting aud notified
the manager that lie must take the men
back, or at least three of them, or they
would quit work. This conclusion was
reached in consideration Of the fact
that, if four men were working on
the same piece of ware, they could not all
be guilty Of poor workmanship. The men
acknowledged that Mr.. ElsOn could dis
charge any or all of them if he chose, but
claim that he shall not assign as n reason
that ones discharged did not do their work
properly. They also assert that they have
other reasons for being dissatisfied, but re-
fuse to give them.
Mr.. Elson, az soon as he received the
mems announcement, telegraphed the ac-
tuary of the manufacturers association TO
call that body together at the Mononga-
hela House, and TINT he would go at once
to Pittsburg to lay the case before them.
Mr.. Elson left on the two p. M. train on
the Pan. Handle fr PittsbuEg, He claims
that if his claims are recognized by the
manufacturers association that. the men
will have to back down or all the factories
in this section will close.